Method and apparatus for inserting cores in cables



Oct. l,' 1940- G. H. ENNIS 2,216,189

I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSERTING CORES I" CABLES Filed Oct. 22, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR, 650 902 A? f/ /ws 4,9. 1 A TTORNEY Oct. 1, 1940.

G. H. ENNIS.

1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wall? M I H Oct. 1, 1940. ENN|$ 2,216,189

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSERTING CORES IN CABLES Filed Oct. 22, l938 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 A TTORNE Y Oct. 1, 1940. G. H. ENNIS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSERTING CORBS IN :GABLES Filed Oct. 22, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 M E SABBQ- AAAA lwummnllllllll INVENTOR, Giaeai EVA 4s a A TTORNE Y G. H. ENNIS 2,216,189

net. 1, 1940.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSERTING CORES IN CABLES 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 22, 1938 INVENTOR, 6502616 /7. .fi /s llll A TTORNE Y G. H. ENNIS Oct. 1, 1940.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSERTING CORES IN CABLES 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Oct. 22, 1938 Patented Oct. 1, 1940 ME'rnonANn APPARATUS FOR INSERTING cones IN CABLES George H. Ennis, Long Beach, Calif., assignor of one-half to Robert V. Funk, Long Beach Calif.

Application October 22, 1938, Serial No. 236,595

22 Claims.

My present invention relates to a simple and economical means and method for placing a core in and/or removing an old core from a completed cable, and relates in particular to an improved device and method for replacing a core of a cable with another core as a continuous operation and without the necessity of disassembling or unwinding the strands of the cable on which the operation is performed.

Although my invention has many uses, such as the replacing of a worn hemp core of a cable with a new hemp core'or the building up of an old core, it is of essential utility in replacing the existing core of a cable with a core embodying one or more electrical conductors. In certain types of well surveying, for example, the testing of an oil well to determine by known electrical methods the point of entry of water leakage into the well, the testing device is lowered into the well by means of a suitable cable which preferably carries an electrical conductor with suitable insulation in its core. For this work it is customary to obtain the required type of cable, with an electrical conductor core, from the cable manufacturers. Owing to the great depths to which oil wells are now being drilled, cables for this purpose must be often 10,000 feet in length. Breakage of the electrical conductor in the core, or breakdown of the insulation of the electrical conductor, results in the ruin of the cable for this purpose. My present invention makes it possible to expeditiously remove the old core of the cable and to replace the 7 same with a new core which ordinarily lasts much longer than the initial core of the cable for the reason that the cable has been broken-in by service; that is to say, it has been stretched in being used, and therefore the stretch applied to the new core when the reclaimed cable is placed in use will not be as great as the stretch to which the original core was subjected. Likewise, my present invention makes it possible to remove the customary hemp core from a cable and to replace the same with a core containing an insulated conductor. Accordingly, a sand line which has been stretched or broken-in by service may be converted to an electrical cable suitable for use in conjunction with electrical well testing or surveying devices.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device having a guide or a support for a cable with a spreader head adapted to be passed into the structure of the cable from a side thereof so as to spread two or more strands of the cable in a manner to form an opening leading into the cable from the side and communicating with the core paragraph wherein the cable is moved continuously through the cable guide and the spreader head or core inserting and removing means is given a rotary movement around the axis of the cable in such manner that the spiral or helix of the cable will be followed.

It is an object of the invention to provide in a device of the above character a core support having rotation relative to the cable guide, this rotation being of such character that the core will not be twisted as the result of the operation performed by the device.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for inserting and/or replacing a core in a cable wherein core supporting means are disposed externally of the cable guide so as to revolve through orbits around the cable guide, there being means for giving the cable support such relative rotation that a twist is not applied to the core which will prevent its lying properly in the cable.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification.

Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred enrbodiment of my invention, with cable feed and cable take-off means shown to reduced scale at the ends thereof.

F Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section through the spreader head of the device taken on a plane extended vertically and longitudinally through the spreader head.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section through the spreader head taken as indicated by the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken as indicated by the line 5-6 of Fig.3.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken as indicated by the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken as indicated by the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section takenon a plane represented by the line 9-9 of Fig. 1 and showing a part of the friction drive means for the old core spool.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken as indicated by the line |9-|I1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary face view looking toward the right end ofFlg. 10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged cross-section taken as indicated by the line I2I2 of Fig. 10.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, I show a cable extended through a cable guide means 2|, so called for the reason that it defines the path through which the cable is extended during the time it is being worked on. This cable guide means 2| includes end sections and means for causing said end sections to rotate in unison, the same being shown as a central or intermediate section 22 of open-work character. The cable guide means 2| is supported for rotation around the axis of the cable 26 by bearings 25 and 26 carried by the posts 21 of a support 28. These posts 21 are preferably placed so as to support the bearings 25 and 26 at the inner ends of the tubes 29 and 30 of which the end sections 23 and 24 are formed.

The tube 29 carries means for supporting a new core 3|, such supporting means including a drum or spool 32, a cradle 33 which supports the spool 32, and radially projecting brackets 34 and 35, the inner ends of which are secured to the tube 29 preferably by welding.

Supporting means for an old core 36 is provided on the tube 30 of the end section 24, this old core supporting means comprising a drum or spool 31, a cradle 38 to carry the drum 31, and brackets 39 and 40 which are essentially the same as the brackets 34 and 35, the inner ends of the brackets 39 and 40 being secured to the tube 39 in radially projecting position. As shown in Fig. 2, the cradles 33 and 38 consist of rectangular frames each having end members 4| and 42 and side members 43 and 44. The side members 43 and 44 carry bearings 45 to receive the trunnions 46 which project axially from the spools 32 and 31. Each end member 4| and 42 has a tubular trunnion 48 projecting outward in horizontal planes into bearings 49 carried at the outer ends of the brackets 34, 35, 39, and 40. I also provide means for giving relative rotation to the core supports. This relative rotation of the core supports represented by the spools 32 and 31 0nd the cable guide means 2| I refer to as orientingthe core supports so as to properly orient the cores, that is to say, so as to give the cores such rotation as may be re quired to cause them to lie properly. In the general practice of the invention the core comprises an insulated conductor, which conductor is itself a small stranded cable in which the strands extend through spiral paths. It is believed that when radial compression is placed on the core,

To rotate the cradles 33 and 3B, and the spools 32 and 31 carried thereby, relative to the supports represented by the posts 34, 35, 39, and 40, substantially identical drive means I40 are provided for the cradles 33 and 38, each of such drive means comprising stationary sprockets |4I mounted coaxlally on the supports 21, and sprockets I42 keyed on shafts I43 carried by bearings I44 supported on the arms and near the trunnions 48. Chain loops I extend over the sprockets HI and I42 to drivably connect the same so that when the sprockets I42 are revolved through circular orbits around the axis of the cable guide 2|, these sprockets I42 and the shafts I43 will be caused to rotate. Pinions I46 are fixed on the shafts I43 and engage gears I41 which are fixed on the adjacent trunnions 43. The ratio of the pinions I46 to the gears I41, in the present use of the device is 1 to 1; but this driving ratio may be readily changed as may be required by different types of cores. When the spool supports revolve in forward or clockwise direction so as to follow the helix of the cable 26, the spools 32 and 31 are bodily rotated in clockwise direction on the axes defined by the trunnions 48.

So that the old core 36 will be continuously wound upon the spool 31, I provide for the spool 31 a friction drive means 50 as shown in Figs. 1, 2, '1, and 9. This friction drive means 50 includes a plate 5|, Fig. 9, keyed on the outer portion of the trunnion 46 which is projected through the bearing 45 carried by the side member 44 of the cradle 38 and a. driven plate 52 which is rotatable relative to the plate 5| and is urged toward the plate 5| by a spring 53 compressed by a nut 54. A bevel gear 55 is formed on the outer portion of the plate 52 and the same in engaged by a bevel pinion 56, Fig. 2, fixed on the end of a shaft 51 extending along the side member 44 to the right end thereof. A sprocket 58, fixed on the end of the shaft 51, is engaged by a chain 59 which passes over a larger sprocket 60 rigidly secured to the upper end of the bracket 40, as best shown in Fig. '1, in concentric relation to the bearing 49 at the outer end of the bracket 40. As relative rotation of the cradle 38 and the cable guide means 2| occurs, the chain 59, acting through the sprocket 58, will rotate the shaft 51 and the bevel pinion 56 will drive the bevel gear 55 so that a frictional driving force will be transmitted from the plate 52 to the plate 5| to rotate the spool 31 so as to constantly take up the slack in the old core 36.

The central section 22, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, includes a semi-cylindrical wall 6| with end walls 62 and 63 with coaxial openings 64 and are connected to the tubular members 30 and 29 by flanges 65 and 66. A supporting tube 61, having a. longitudinal slot 68, is secured to the inner end of the tube 30 so as to project into the central section 22 so as to support athrust bearing fitting 69. The fitting 69 carries a thrust bearing 10 which supports a holder 1| for a spreader head 12 comprising, as shown in Fig. 4, an intermediate portion 13, a slightly tapered front extension 14 which projects into the holder 1 I, and a shorter rear extension 15. The spreader head 12 has spiral guides or openings 15 preferably in the form of channels cut in the cylindrical intermediate portion 13 to receive the individual strands 16 of the cable 20 when the strands 16 are spread and the head 12 is placed in the opening in the cable resulting from the spreading of the strands 16, asshown in Fig.3. The channels 15 are preferably evenly spaced and between adjacent strands 18 side openings lead into the interior of the cable from a side of the cable. It is through such side openings that the old core 36 is removed from the cable 20 and the new core 3| is inserted in the cable to replace the old core which has been removed. To provide side openings in the cable through which the old and new cores 36 and 3| may be passed, the spreading of the strands of the cable need not be very great. In the present disclosure I have shown a head I2 which spreads the strands 16 to such an extent that opposite strands will be spaced apart a distance approximately three times the diameter of the cable 20. I

Between the interior space enlargement of the cable 20 formed by the head 12 and the core supporting means represented by the spools 32 and 31 I provide core guide means TI and I8, respectively, for the old and new cores 36 and 3|. The old core guide means I1 includes, as shown in Fig. 4, an opening I9 leading from the rear end 80 of the spreader head I2 to the upper side 8| thereof, a sheave 82 supported above the bear-.

ing 10, a tube 83 which leads through the slot 68 in the tube 61 into the opening 83 of the tube 30 and then out through an opening 85 intermediate the end of the tube 30, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7, a sheave 88 mounted on the lower portion of the bracket 39, and a sheave 81 mounted on the outer portion of the bracket 39, as shown in Fig. 1. The old core 36 passes through the opening 19 of the spreader head I2, as shown in Fig. 3, over the sheave 82, through the guide tube 83, and over sheaves 86 and 81, to pass through the hollow trunnion 48 at the left end of the cradle 38 to the core of the spool 31, as shown in Fig. 2

The new core 3|, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, passes from the spool 32. through the hollow trunnion 48 at the right end of the cradle 33 and is carried to the interior space enlargement formed in the cable 20 by the spreader head I2 by the new core guide means I8which consists of a sheave 89 mounted on the outer end of the bracket 34, as shown in Fig. 1, a sheave 90 mounted by means of a bracket 9| on the right end of the tube 29, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, a guide tube 92 which leads through an opening 93, Fig. 10, in the wall of the tube 29, and through the axial opening 94 of the tube 29 to the forward end thereof, as shown in Fig, 3, a sheave 95 held by a bracket 96 in the intermediate section 22 in a plane below the spreader head 12, and an open ing 91 in the spreader head I2, which opening 91 leads from the lower side of the cylindrical portion I3 to the front end 98 of the spreader head I2, as shown in Fig. 4.

In the preferred practice of the invention, the spiral of the channels 15 in the spreader head I2 is nearly the same as that of the strands in the unexpanded portion of the cable 20, and during the operation of the device such relative rotation of the spreader head I2 and the cable 20 is maintained as to cause the spreader head 12 to follow the spiral defined by the strands of the cable 20. It is most convenient in the practice of my method to move the cable 20 forward or leftward through the device, without material rotation of the cable around its longitudinal axis, and to rotate the spreader head I2 and the core guide means 11 and 18 in such a manner that the spiral of the cable will be followed. To pull the cable 20 through the device at a substantially constant speed, I have diagrammatically shown a power driven drum 99 to which the finished cable is carried over a sheave I35. This drum 99 is shown connected by a chain I36 to a variable speed drive means I31 having a control I38.

To rotate the cable guide means 2| and the parts thereto attached, I provide a motor I and a variable speed transmission I0| drivably connected as by means of a sprocket with a chain I02 which runs over a sprocket I03 which is bolted on the flange 65", as best shown in Fig. 3. A further feature of the invention consists in an index means I04, Figs, 1, l0, and 11, to serve as a guide for the control of the speed at which the cable guide means 2| must be rotated, or of the relative speed at which the cable 20 must'be carried forward through the device, in order that the spreader head I2 shall follow the spiral of the axially moving cable 20. This index means I04 includes an index plate I secured to the right end of the tube 29 by means of a bushing I06, an index pointer I01, and means I08 for causing the pointer I01 to rotate around the for wardly moving cable 20 in accordance with the rotation of the strand spirals around the cable. In its simple form this means I08 comprises a sleeve having an opening I09 defined by helical grooves 0 corresponding in number to the strands of the cable 20 and cooperating with the exposed portions of these strands I6, as shown in Fig. 12, in the manner of an'internal screw thread with an external screw thread so that as the cable moves axially the member I08 will be held against bearing means I and will be caused to rotate around the cable in the manner of a multi-threaded nut around a companion multi-threaded screw. Owing to this threadlike engagement of the member I08 with the cable 20, the member I08 will follow the spiral defined by the strands of the cable, and in order to cause the spreader head I2 to follow the same spiral, but at a different point along the cable, it is only necessary that the cable guide means 2| shall be rotated at the same speed as the pointer I01, this being done by causing the cable guide m ans 2| to rotate at such speed that the space demarcated on the plate I05 by lines 2 will be kept in substantially centralized relation to the pointer I01.

After leaving the spreader head 12, as shown in Fig. 3, the cable strands I6 tend to resume their normal positions, as indicated at 3, and to grip the new core 3| which is contained in the core space of the cable 20. However, before the cable 20 leaves the device, it is passed, as shown in Fig. 7, through a sizing or compressing die ||4 disposed in a chamber 5 at the left end of the tube 30. This die I I4 has a sizing opening ||6 through which the cable 20 is pulled and is preferably formed of a pair of cooperating halves I I secured together by means of screws H8. Axial movement of the die 4 is prevented by a thrust bearing 9 having an opening I20 to receive the rounded end |2| of the die 4. The die 4 remains substantially non-rotative and very little rotational force is imparted thereto by the rotation of the cable guide means 2|, since the end thrust of the die I I4 is taken by the thrust bearing 9 which is preferably of anti-friction type.

By means of plates I25 bars I28 are connected to the intermediate section 22 of the cable guide means 2| so as to project oppositely from the brackets 34 to 40 inclusive, these bars being threaded to receive adjusting nuts I28, for positioning a counterweight I29 which is slidable on the bars I26. The spools 32 and 3'! are of .such size that greater than 10,000 feet of core may be wound thereon. The invention also provides means for orienting the cable 20 and an indicator I50, Figs. 1, 3, and 6, for showing whether a proper relation is being maintained between the speed of movement of the cable 20 and the rotation of the cable guide so that the spreader head I2 will follow the helix of the cable.

As shown schematically in Fig. 1, cable 20 is taken from a spool I5I mounted in a yoke I52 so that the spool I5I may be rotated on an axis A-A which is transverse to the axis of the spool, such rotation of the spool-rotating the front or entering end 20a of the cable 20 around its own axis. Means for rotating the yoke I52 on the axis AA is shown in the form of a handle I54 to transmit rotation through a shaft I55 to a bevel pinion I56 which engages a gear I51 connected to the yoke I52. This orienting means for the cable 20 also constitutes a means whereby a constant twist may be applied to the entering end of the cable so that the adjacent turns of the cable strands will lie close together. practice of the invention it is preferable to take the cable 20 from the device end on to the spool 99 without rotation of the cable around its axis. If the lay" of the cable being handled is relatively tight the orienting means for the entering end of the cable may be employed merely for the purpose of compensating for the ordinary twists which occur in cable during its spooling. However, preferred practice indicates that a slight forward twist should be constantly placed on the entering end 20a of the cable.

The indicating means I50 includes a pointer I60 which projects from the floating spreader head I2, as best shown in Fig. 6. The end [SI of this pointer I60 traverses an arcuate dial plate I62 secured by an attachment I63 to the crossbar I64 of the intermediate section 22, and by an attachment I66 to the semicylindrical wall 6|. As the cable 20 is pulled across the spreader head 12, the spreader head will be caused to rotate by the helix of the cable. If the cable guide 2| is rotating at the same speed as the spreader head I2, the head I 6| of the pointer I60 will remain in centralized relation to the dial plate I62. In a convenient manner of operating the device, the cable guide 2| may be rotated at substantially constant speed and the take-off spool 99, Fig. 1, may be driven at such speed by the variable speed drive I31 that the helix of the cable will cause the spreader head I2 to rotate in a manner to hold the pointer I60 in a substantially centralized relation to the dial I62. An operator at the control I38 of the variable speed drive I31 may observe the relative positions of the pointer I60 and the dial I62 and vary the forward travel of the cable in accordance with the requirements indicated by the change in relative positions of the pointer I60 and the dial I62.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the character described for inserting a core in a pre-formed cable, the combination of: means defining a path of movement for said pre-formed cable; means for advancing said cable along said path of movement; a spreader head to separate the strands of said cable so as to form in said cable an opening accessible from the side thereof; means for supporting a core to a side of said path of movement of said cable; means to guide said core into said opening of said cable between adjacent separated strands thereof; and means for relative orienting of said guide means and said cable so that said guide means will follow the spiral of said cable In the as the same is advanced along said path of movement.

2. In a device of the character described for inserting a core in a pre-formed cable, the combination of means defining a path of movement for said cable; means for advancing said cable along said path of movement; a spreader head to separate the strands of said cable so as to form in said cable an opening accessible from the side thereof; means for supporting a core to a side of said path of movement of said cable; means to guide said core into said opening of said cable between adjacent separated strands thereof;

means for orienting said guide means so that it will follow the spiral of said cable as the same is advanced along said path of movement; and means for taking a core from said cable prior to the guiding of said first named core into said opening of said cable through a side of the cable.

3. In a device of the character described for inserting a core in a pre-formed cable, the combination of: means for supporting said cable; means for spreading strands of said cable without untwisting the same, so as to form a side opening leading into the core pace of the cable; means for guiding a core into said opening of said cable from the side of said cable; means to cause axial movement of said spreading means and said guiding means relative to said cable; and means to relatively rotate said cable and said guiding means so that said guiding means will follow the spiral of said cable.

4. In a device of the character described for inserting a core in a pre-formed cable, the combination of: means for supporting said cable; a spreader head insertable in said cable so as to form an opening in the cable accessible through a side portion thereof; means for guiding a core into said opening of said cable through the side of said cable; means to cause axial movement of said head and said guide means relative to said cable; means to relatively rotate said cable and said guiding means so that said guiding means will follow the spiral of said cable; and means for removing a core from said cable prior to the guiding of said first named core into said opening by said guide means.

5. In a device of the character described for inserting a core, in a preformed cable, the combination of: means for supporting said cable; a spreader head insertable in said cable from a side thereof; said head having a guide opening leading from a side thereof to the front end thereof within said cable; means for guiding a core into the outer end of said opening so that it will pass therethrough into the interior of said cable; means for producing an axial movement of said head and said guiding means relative to said cable; and means for producing a rotation of said head and said guiding means relative to said cable so that said head and said guiding means will follow the spiral of the strands of said cable.

6. In a device of the character described for inserting a core in a preformed cable, the combination of: means for supporting said cable; a spreader head insertable in said cable from a side thereof, said head having a first guide opening leading from the rear end to one side thereof and a second guide opening leading from a side thereof to the front end thereof; means for taking an old core from said cable through said first opening; means for guiding a new core into said cable through said second opening; means for causing said head and said guide means to move axially relative to said cable; and means to rotate said head and said guide means relative to said cable so as to follow the spiral of the strands of said cable.

7. In a device of the character described for inserting a core in a cable, the combination of means for supporting a cable; a spreader head insertable in said cable from a side thereof, said head having a guide opening leading from a side thereof to the front end thereof within said cable; means for guiding a core into the outer end of said opening so that it will pass therethrough into the interior of said cable; means for producing an axial movement of said head and said guide means relative to said cable; means for producing a rotation of said head and said guide means relative to said cable so that said head and said guide means will follow the spiral of the strands of said cable; and means for taking an old core from said cable from a side thereof prior to the guiding of said first named core into said cable through said opening of said head.

8. In a device of the characterdescribed for insertinga core in a cable, the combination of means for supporting a cable; a spreader head insertable in said cableso as to form an open ing in the cable accessible through aside portion thereof, said head having spirally disposed channels through which the strands of-said cable pass; means for guidinga core into said opening of said cable through the sideof said cable; means to cause axial movement of said head and said guide means relative to said cable; and means to relatively rotate said cable' and said guide means so that said guide means will follow the spiral of said cable.

9. In a device of the character described for inserting a core in a cable, the combination of means for supporting a cable; a spreader head insertable in said cable so as to form an opening in the cable accessible through a side portion thereof; means for guiding a core into said open ing of said cable through the side of said cable; means to cause axial movement of said head and said guide means relative to said cable; means to relatively rotate said cable and said guide means so that said guide means will fol-.

low the spiral of said cable; means for supporting a coil of said core from which it may be taken through said guide means to said opening of said cable; and means producing relative rotation of said supporting means and said guide means so that said core will not be twisted in said cable.

10. In a device of the character described for inserting a core in a cable, the combination of means defining a path of movement for a cable; means for advancing said cable along said path of movement; a spreader head to separate the strands of said cable so as to form in said cable an opening accessible from the side thereof; means for supporting a core adjacent said path of movement of said cable; means to guide said core into said opening of said cable between adjacent separated strands thereof; means for rotating said guide means so that it will follow the spiral of said cable as the same is advanced along said path of movement; means for supporting a coil of said core from which said core may pass to said guide means; and means for moving said supporting means in an orbit around said cable in accordance with the rotation of said guide means so that said core will not be twisted in said cable.

11. In a device of the character described for inserting a core in a cable, the combination of: a cable guide having a pair of end portions and an intermediate portion; a support for said cable guide, permitting rotation of said cable guide on the longitudinal axis of a cable passed therethrough; a new core support mounted on one of said end portions; an old core support carried on the other of said end portions; a core guide means extending from said intermediate portion of said cable guide to said core support; a spreader head in said intermediate portionadapted to be inserted in said cable from a side thereof so as to spread the strands of said cable to form an opening from which an old core may be taken from said cable and in which a new core may be inserted in said cable; and means for axially moving and rotating said cable guide so that said head will follow the spiral of the strands of said cable and so that said core supports will revolve around the axis of said cable.

12. In a device of the character described for inserting a core in a cable, the combination of a cable guide having a pair of end portions and an intermediate portion; a support for said cable guide, permitting rotation of said cable guide on the longitudinal axis of a cable passed therethrough; a new core support mounted on one of said end portions; an old core support carried on the other of said end portions; a core guide means extending from said intermediate portion of said cable guide to said core support; a spreader head in. said intermediate portion adapted to be inserted in said cable from a side thereof so as to spread the strands of said cable to form an opening from which an old core may be taken from said cable and in which a new core may be inserted in said cable; means for axially moving and rotating said cable guide so that said head will follow the spiral of the strands of said cable and so that said core supports will revolve around the axis of said cable; and a counterbalance connected to said cable guide for counterbalancing the eccentric weight of said core supports.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination of: means defining a position for a cable to be operated upon; spreading and guide means forming a side opening in said cable and guiding a core through said opening; means for producing such relative movement of said cable and said spreading and guide means that said side opening will follow the spiral of said cable; and means for orienting said core.

14. In a device of the character described, the combination of: means defining a position for a cable to be operated upon; spreading and guide means forming a side opening in said cable and guiding a core through said opening; means for producing such relative movement of said cable and said spreading and guide means that said side opening will follow the spiral of said cable; means for orienting said cable; and means for orienting said core.

15. In a device of the character described, the combination of means defining a position for a cable to be operated upon; spreading and guide means forming a side opening in said cable and guiding a core through said opening; means for producing such relative movement of said cable and said spreading and guide means that said side opening will follow the spiral of said cable; and means for orienting said cable.

16. In a device of the character described, the combination of means defining a position for a cable to be operated upon; spreading and guide means forming a side opening in said cable and guiding a core through said opening; means for producing such relative movement of said cable and said spreading and guide means that said side opening will follow the spiral of said cable; and indicating means to show that said movement of said spreading and guide means is following the natural spiral of said cable.

17. In a device of the character described, the combination of: means" defining a position for a cable to be operated upon; floating spreader means to form a side opening in said cable; means to guide a core which passes through said side opening; means to give said spreader means and said cable a relative longitudinal movement, said spreader means being so formed as to follow the spiral of said cable; means to give said guide means and said cable such relative helical movement that the spiral of the cable will be followed by said guide means; and indicating means cooperatively associated with said guide means and said spreader means to show the relative angular positions of said spreader means and said guide means around the axis of said cable.

18. In a device of the character described, the combination of: means defining a position for a cable to be operated upon; floating spreader means to form a side opening in said cable; means to guide a core which passes through said side opening; means to give said spreader means and said cable a relative longitudinal movement, said spreader means being so formed as to follow the spiral of said cable; indicating means cooperatively associated with said guide means and said spreader means to show the relative angular positions of said spreader means and said guide means around the axis of said cable; and variable motivating means to give said guide means and said cable such relative helical movement that said relative angular positions thereof will remain substantially constant.

19. The method of replacing an old core in a cable with a new core, comprising: separating strands of said cable so as to form insaid cable an opening leading out at one side of said cable; progressively spreading said strands so as to cause said opening to move lengthwise of said cable and so as to cause relative rotation of said opening and said cable so that it will follow the spiral defined by adjacent strands thereof; taking the old core from said cable through said side opening thereof; and feeding a new core into said cable through said side opening there- 20. The method of replacing an old core in a cable with a new core, comprising: separating strands of said cable so as to form in said cable an opening leading out at one side of said cable; progressively spreading said strands so as to cause said opening to move lengthwise of said cable and so as to cause relative rotation of said opening and said cable so that it will follow the spiral defined by adjacent strands thereof; taking the old core from said cable through said side opening thereof; feeding a new core into said cable through said side opening thereof; and orienting said new core so that it will not twist as it is fed into said cable.

21. The method of replacing an old core in a cable with a new core, comprising: separating .strands of said cable so as to form in said cable a first opening leading out at one side of said cable; spreading strands of said cable so as to form in said cable a second opening leading out at one side of said cable; progressively separating said strands so as to cause said openings to move relatively lengthwise of said cable and to rotate relative to the axis of the cable so as to follow the spiral defined by adjacent strands; taking the old core from said cable through said first side opening thereof; andfeeding a new core into said cable through said second side opening thereof.

22. The method of replacing an old core in a cable with a new core, comprising; separating strands of said cable so as to form in'said cable a first opening leading out at one side of said cable; spreading strands of said cable so as to form in said cable a second opening leading out at one side of said cable; progressively separating said strands so as to cause said openings to move lengthwise of said cable and to rotate relative to the axis of the cable so as to follow the spiral defined by adjacent strands; taking the old core from said cable through said first side opening thereof; feeding a new core into said cable through said second side opening thereof; and orienting said cores as they are respectively taken from and fed into said cable so that the same will not be twisted.

GEORGE H. ENNIS.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,216,189. October 1, 191m.

7 GEORGE H. ENNIS.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, first column, line 55, for "0nd" read --and page ll, second column, line 19, claim 2, strike out the words "through a side of the cable and insert the same after "cable" in line 17, same claim; line 25, claim 5, for "pace" read epace-; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 10th I day of December, 19),

Henry Van Aredale,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

